Discharge control arrangement for snow removing mechanism



W. E. KLAUER Oct. 1940.

DISCHARGE CONTROL ARRANGEMENT FOR SNOW REMOVING MECHANISM Original Filed Aug. 12, 1936 6 Sheets-Sheet 1 W. E. KLAU ER Oct. 8, 1940.

DISCHARGE CONTROL ARRANGEMENT FOR SNOW REMOVING MECHANISM I Original Filed Aug. 12, 1936 6 Sheets-Sheet 2 Oct. 8, 1940.

W. E. KLAUER DISCHARGE CONTROL ARRANGEMENT FOR SNOW REMOVING MECHANISM ori inal Filed Aug. 12', 1936 6 Sheets-Sheet 3 WzZ Zer J7 fajlmuer,

" Oct. 8, 1940. w. E. KLAUER DISCHARGE CONTROL ARRANGEMENT FOR SNOW REMOVING MECHANISM Original Filed Aug. 12, 1936 6 Sheeds-Sheet 4 O 8, 1940- w. E. KLAUER I 2,216,781

DISCHARGE CONTROL ARRANGEMENT FOR SNOW REMOVING MECHANISM Original Filed Aug. 12, 1936 6 Sheets-Sheet 5 w, QQQM;

W. E. KLAU ER Oct. 8. 1940.

DISCHARGE CONTROL ARRANGEMENT FOR SNOW REMOYING MECHANISM 1956 e Sheets-Sheet 6 Original Filed Aug. 12,

Patented Oct. 8, 1940 PATENT OFFICE DISCHARGE CONTROL ARRANGEMENT FOR SNOW REMOVING MECHANISM Walter E. Klauer, Dubuque, Iowa Original application August 12, 1936, SerlalNo.

95,688, now Patent No. 2,144,311, dated January 17, 1939.

Divided and this application August 12, 1936, Serial No. 95,693

3 Claims.

The present invention relates to discharge control arrangements for snow removing mechanism and particularly to such mechanism adapted for use in removing snowfrom streets and highways.

It is concerned more particularly with such mechanism which is carried by a motor truclr.

This application is a division of my application Serial No. 95,688, filed August 12, 1936, now Patent No. 2,144,311.

In the past, the usual practice in the production of snow removing mechanism has been to mountthe same permanently on a special truck. Such arrangement is comparatively expensive, and its expense is increased because it can be used only during a short period of the year. The advantage of the use of trucks as compared to tractors is that such devices can move easily from one place to another as required at a high rate of speed, which is almost a necessity.

20 The primary object of the present invention is to provide power driven snow removal mechanism of a practical and eflicient type which is arranged so that it can be readily mounted on and removed from a truck. Both thesnow remover and the power unit for driving the same are easily and readily demountable. In this manner, the mechanism may be applied to a standard truck, which is used during the snow season to carry the snow removing mechanism, and may be used during the remainder of the year for hauling purposes as a freight vehicle.

One difliculty particularly relating to snow removers of the rotary type which have a rotating or shiftable spout through which snow is ejected, movable so that snow will be thrown to one side or to the other of the snow remover, resides in the control of the position of such a spout. I have found that such control, which has hitherto been mechanical, is much simplified and easier if a hydraulic arrangement controlled from the cab of the truck is used for accomplishing this purpose.

Further objects and advantages of the invention will appear more fully from the following description, particularly when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings which form a part thereof.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a side elevation of a snow remover on a truck.

Fig. 1a is a continuation of Fig. 1, showing the power unit;on a truck.

Fig. 2 is a top plan view of r the arrangement shown in Fig. 1.

embodying my invention and shown as mounted Fig. 2a is a continuation of Fig. 2 showing in top plan view the arrangement of Fig. 1a, with the power unit removed.

Fig. 3 15a top plan view showing the snow remover frame. 5

Fig. 4 is a top plan view of the hydraulic spout control.

Fig. 5 is a cross section on the line 5-5 of Fig. 6.

Fig. 6 is an end view of the mechanism of Fig. 4.

As shown in Fig. 1, the snow remover is mounted on a truck A of any standard type. This truck has a chassis consisting of longitudinal members 2 and a front cross member 4. The chassis is mounted on wheels 8, supported by axles such as the front axle Ill. The wheels, preferably the rear wheels, are driven by a motor mounted in the hood'il2 and provided with a radiator H. The truck also has a cab it of any suitable type.

Mounted on the rear end of the truck is the power unit B. This power unit consists of a motor or engine l8 controlled by a throttle 20 which may be operated by a lever 24 inside the cab l6 through a flexible or Bowden cable 22. The unit 3 also includes a gasoline tank 26 for supplying fuel to the engine and a suitable pump for forcing a liquid such as oil under pressure into a supply tank 28. The motor drives a clutch which is mounted in a housing 36 andv is controlled through a link and lever system 32 by a lever 34 in the cab of the truck. The clutch is adapted to couple and uncouple a driving shaft to and from the motor l8.

C indicates in general the snow remover. It consists in the preferred form of a casing having side walls 38, a bottom wall and a scraper blade 40 and a rear wall 42. An opening in the rear wall 42 communicates with the interior of a fan casing 46 in which is mounted a fan for ejecting snow through the spout 48. Within the casing formed by walls 38, 40 and 42, are mounted three 0 augers or conveyers 59 on' horizontal vertically spaced axes. These augers are all driven, by a suitable chain drive mechanism 41 from a sprocket mounted on a shaft 49', to feed snow towards the. center of the casing, so that it can pass through the opening into the fan casing 46..

The snow removing -mechanism is driven through a shaft mechanism running underneath the truck. The details of this drive are shown in my application for Snow removing mechanism, Serial No. 95,688 of which this case is a division, and which is now Patent No. 2,144,311

The snow remover is carried by a frame having a transverse front top member 92, a transverse rear top member 94, top side members 91', vertical members 06, and horizontal bottom members 00 which support the ends of a scraper forming the bottom portion ,of the wall of the auger casing.

The supporting and guiding arrangement for the plow includes vertically arranged T-shaped rails H4 and guide blocks or slide members H6 provided with T-shaped slots which flt over the arms of the T rails. Thus the blocks Ill are guided thereby for vertical sliding movement. Pins I22 pass through the blocks I I6 and through the arms or brackets I24 secured on the cross member 94 of the plow frame, one of these brackets being arranged on each side of each block I I6. Thus the plow frame is guided at both sides for straight up and down movement.

For raising and lowering the plow a special hydraulic arrangement is provided. Hydraulic cylinders I36 are mounted one on each side of the snow remover, in which are slidably arranged pistons I26.

Secured to the vehicle at points to the rear of the front thereof are uprights I40, which are braced by links I42 connected at one end to the uprights and at the other end to vehicle. Pivoted to the upper ends of the uprights are beams or links I44, preferably I beams. These beams carry blocks I46 to which are pivoted the pistons I 38 and links I48 which at their other ends are traversed by the pins I22 in the neighborhood of the outer brackets I24.

Of course one of these lifting devices is provided on each side of the plow. It will be noted that this provides a simple and convenient mechanism for raising and lowering the snow remover without blocking in any manner the front of the radiator of the truck. This is a special advantage since when such trucks are in operation there is danger that the engine will become overheated if the radiator is blocked.

The hydraulic cylinders I36 are supplied with fluid under pressure through flexible pipes I52, releasable connections I54 and pipes I56. Pipes I56 are connected to a valve chest in which is a valve controlled by linkage system I60 through a handle I62 located in the cab of the truck. The details of this valve form no part of the invention, and it is sufficient to state that when the valve is moved to one position the piston will be caused to rise, while in the other position it will drop. Fluid under pressure is supplied to the valve chest from the tank 28.

The fan casing 46 is mounted to rotate for example in the manner shown in the Wandscheer Patent No. 1,886,069. It is important to be able to shift the position of the spout 48 from one side to the other of the snow remover so that the direction of the stream of snow may be changed. For this purpose, I provide a hydraulic device for controlling the position of the fan casing. A lever I96 in the cab of the truck through a lever and linkage system I98 controls a valve in a valve box 200, supplied with fluid under pressure from the reservoir 26. Pipes 202 extend from this reservoir to the front of the truck and are connected through couplings 204 to flexible hoses 206.

Mounted on the cross member 94 is a bracket 208 which carries a pin .2 I 0 supporting one end of a hydraulic cylinder 2I2. The member 94 also supports a pair of spaced U-shaped rails 2 between which slides a cross head 2I6. A piston slidable in the cylinder 2I2 has an extension 2I6 which is connected by a pin 220 to the cross head 2I6. A pin 222 carried by the cross head 2 forms a pivot for one end of a link 224 which at its other end engages a pivot pin 226 fixed in the rear wall of the fan casing. Pipes 206 on opposite sides of the plow are connected respectively to pipes 228 and 230 opening into opposite ends of the cylinder 2I2., It is evident that by admitting fluid under pressure to one side or the other of the piston the cross head 2I6 will be caused to move and will shift the spout 48 from one side to the other.

While I have described herein some embodiments of my invention, I wish it to be understood that I do not intend to limit myself thereby except within the scope of the appended claims.

What I claim is:

1. In a snow remover having adjustable snow discharging means, means to shift the position of said discharging means, said means comprising a fluid pressure cylinder extending transversely of the snow remover, a pair of opposed U-shaped rails at one end of the cylinder, a piston mounted in said cylinder and having its end guided between said rails, a link connected to the piston at one end and at its other end to the discharging means, and means to supply fluid under pressure to said cylinder.

2. In a snow removing mechanism having a snow receiving casing, a fan casing to the rear of said snow receiving casing, and an opening between said casings, a fan mounted in said fan casing, said fan casing having a spout at its periphery, and means to shift the position of said spout with respect to the snow removing casing, said means comprising a fluid pressure cylinder extending transversely of the snow remover, a pair of opposed U-shaped rails at one end of the cylinder, a piston mounted in said cylinder and having its end guided between said rails, a link connected to the piston at one end and at its other end to the fan casing, and means adjacent the driver's seat of the vehicle for controlling the supply of fluid under pressure to said cylinder.

3. In a snow removing mechanism mounted on a vehicle having a drivers seat, said mechanism having a snow receiving casing, a fan casing to the rear of said snow receiving casing, an opening between said casings, and a fan mounted in said fan casing, said fan casing having a spout at its periphery, means to shift the position of said its other end to the fan casing, means to supply fluid under pressure to the cylinder, and means adjacent the drivers seat of the vehicle for controlling the supply of fluid under pressure to said cylinder.

WALTER E. KLAUER. 

